Like many Ben Carson supporters I have had a lot to digest over the past week, from the suspension of his campaign, to My Faith Votes, to his recent endorsement of Donald Trump.

A lot for my simple mind to digest

After the suspension of his campaign and beginning his new role as chairman of My Faith Votes I did not expect him to endorse anyone during the primaries. I did not expect it because that is what he said on March 4th,

And then there were five, regardless of what Kasich, Rubio, Cruz, pundits and the media want you to believe. Ben’s not done yet. As he said Saturday night, he is just getting started.

“When this thing started there were 17 candidates. There are only 6 now and I’m still one of them. And… I’m not going anywhere.”Ben Carson from his “Just The Beginning” speech after the South Carolina Primary. Shortly after this statement there were only 5 as Jeb Bush suspended his campaign.

Against the odds nothing new for Ben Carson

Ben Carson has been beating the odds his entire life. This campaign is just the latest chapter in a lifetime of beating the odds, doing what has never been done, doing what others said can’t be done. Almost all pundits agree this has been an unconventional campaign and yet, after each primary they want to predict the winner based on conventional wisdom. That just doesn’t seem logical to me.

It is the title of The Ben Carson Story. Keep your head up and keep moving forward Team Carson! Stay positive and reach out to Bush supporters after tonight and invite them to take a look at Ben’s issue papers at BenCarson.com and join us. It’s a long and winding road to Cleveland and beyond. Next up Nevada, then Super Tuesday!

South Carolina Primary Results Disappointing but…

Depending on your perspective Dr. Carson finished 6th, effectively tied for 4th (the last 3 were within .6% of each other at 7.2, 7.6 and 7.8%) or tied for 2nd if you look at the delegate count. The delegate count is what matters and is how the nominee for the party will be selected. Ben Carson, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, Jeb Bush and John Kasich all tied for 2nd in that category with zero.

Same song different verse

And so the tired old refrain starts up again by the pundits, news media and other candidates. Why is he still in the race? Why doesn’t he get out for the good of the party? He can’t win so a vote for him is wasted. This is nothing new and has been repeated ever since Dr. Carson entered the race. The answers are still the same.

He is still in the race because he wants to give We The People an opportunity for their voices and votes to be heard. If he gets out now then he will have allowed Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina to speak for and represent the entire country. That is not what We The People want and are expressing by our continued support for Dr. Carson to stay in the race. How would getting out now, after just three states have voted, be any different than just listening to the pundits and news media who think they “know best”?

He is not in this race for the good of the party.He is in the race for the good of America and that includes all political parties and all races. What is in the best interest of any political party is often not in the best interest of America, especially in the divisive climate that exists today.

There are 595 delegates up for grabs in 12 states in the Super Tuesday or SEC Primaries (24 percent of the 2,472 total delegates throughout the country) and these all award their delegates proportionately, rather than via the winner-take-all method as South Carolina did. Specifically, those states are Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia and Wyoming. 1,237 delegates are needed to win the GOP nomination. If he keeps moving forward as he is planning to do and picking up delegates it becomes more likely there will be a brokered convention. If that happens then anyone can win. It is not out of the realm of possibility that Dr. Carson could be the only candidate the majority could agree on.

And then there was one!

Any of the candidates in the Republican race would do some good things and would definitely be better than anything the other party has to offer. However, only one candidate can really make America great again, to borrow a phrase. Others can make America better but don’t possess all the qualities necessary to make America great again. When you look at the accomplishments of the candidates, their character, integrity and judgement the best choice is clear.

Vote for the only true outsider and citizen statesman who can best unify and lead America, Dr. Ben Carson.

Until next time…

If you like what you read here or just want to see what comes out of my warped mind enter your email address in the sidebar on the left and subscribe. This is the only way to ensure you will be notified immediately whenever a new post is published.

Integrity is defined as the quality of being honest and fair. Synonyms include character, decency, goodness, honesty and morality. A further discussion of integrity by Webster’s says integrity implies trustworthiness and incorruptibility to a degree that one is incapable of being false to a trust, responsibility, or pledge.

One who has integrity is also honest and trustworthy.

Once Essential

Integrity is what I look for in the person I would want as President. I may be a radical and old-fashioned but integrity is the starting point for any candidate in my evaluation. At one time this was a characteristic most Americans considered desirable and even essential for the person chosen to lead the country as President.

Sadly, in 2016, this is no longer the case. The leaders in the polls for both major political parties are also the least honest and trustworthy of all the candidates. To me that is sad and that just doesn’t make any sense, common or otherwise to me. A majority believe the front runners are the least honest or trustworthy and yet, they are still the front runners.

If America elects a President the majority of people consider dishonest and untrustworthy how can they trust any of the promises they are making in their campaign speeches, debates and policy papers?

Who is most trustworthy?

The candidate who consistently ranks highest in the honest and trustworthy category is Dr. Ben Carson. This makes perfect sense to me. Consider his career prior to retirement and being drafted into this presidential election. Think about it. He is a retired neurosurgeon who has been trusted by thousands of patients over many years. That kind of track record can reasonably predict his future actions will follow the same pattern.

Do you trust your doctor?

The doctor patient relationship is one of the most private, guarded and trusted relationships most people have outside of their spouse and family. Thousands of patients and their families have trusted Dr. Carson over his career to be honest with them about the diagnosis and possible solutions and expected outcomes of brain surgery. It takes a considerable amount of trust when your child’s life hangs in the balance.

That trust is a large part of why Dr. Carson is the most trusted candidate in the Presidential race this year and probably one of the most trusted ever.

Integrity does matter

Think about how that career and trust can be applied to the problems facing America. Dr. Carson would assemble the teams necessary to analyze and diagnose the root cause of the issues. Solutions would then be developed to solve the problems. He would then be honest with America, just as he was with his patients, providing the diagnosis of the problem and the plan to solve the problem. Making wise decisions and being honest with the American people are two traits any successful President of the United States of America must possess.

Accomplishments Unmatched

Dr. Ben Carson’s accomplishments are unmatched.

He has received 67 honorary degrees.

He received America’s highest civilian award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

CNN and Time reported he was one of America’s top 20 scientists

The Library of Congress named him one of 89 “Living Legends.”

Yet, even with all these awards and honors he has maintained his humility. Don’t mistake humility and his calm measured demeanor as weakness. Have you ever thought about the resolve and nerves and inner strength required to be on your feet for hours performing intricate surgeries in which the slightest mistake or twitch could be fatal? If not think about it now. He has repeated this thousands of times during his career.

How confident are you?

How confident are you that your candidate, if you have one, will actually follow through with their campaign promises? If you are basing your confidence on anything other than historical evidence you willbe disappointed after the election.

Consider Dr. Carson’s experience during his career analyzing cases, determining best options, communicating this to the patient and family, leading the teams essential for a successful surgery, and only then performing his role as surgeon. In other words, he has done what he said he would over and over again.

Take a look at Dr. Ben Carson’s position on issues facing America here – Ben Carson on the Issues . In addition to his issue positions consider the integrity, honesty and trustworthiness of this man before you make your final decision on who to support for President in 2016.

and hope you will too. He is not looking for endorsements from politicians, political parties, lobbyists, special interest groups or news media. His closing statement at the first GOP Debate shows it is the endorsement and support from We The People he is seeking.

“In the 2 hours of this debate, 5 people have died from drug-related deaths, $100,000,000 has been added to our national debt, 200 babies have been killed by abortionists, and 2 veterans have taken their lives out of despair. This is a narrative that we can change – Not we the Democrats, not we the Republicans, but We The People of America because there is something special about this nation and we must embrace it and be proud of it and never give it away for the sake of political correctness.”

Until next time…

If you like what you read here or just want to see what comes out of my warped mind enter your email address in the sidebar on the left and subscribe. This is the only way to ensure you will be notified immediately whenever a new post is published.

If you are following the political news you are aware there is a story this week that has been identified, reported, hijacked and distorted. I wrote about it in my last blog post Cruz – Big Winner or Big Loser? (UPDATE). I am not going to rehash the facts again here. I do find many of the reactions to the story concerning as many in America have chosen settling for the status quo over aspiring to be the best we can be.

After hearing some of the commentary by many this week I think I have the gist of their suggestions and solutions.

Dr. Ben Carson’s campaign should have just lied or refused to answer the question when asked what his plans were immediately after the Iowa Caucus.

That is what I get from the likes of Glenn Beck, Mark Levin, Rush Limbaugh, Erick Erickson and others. I am just passing along what they said, similar to what the Cruz campaign says they were doing with the CNN story of Ben Carson going home to Florida after the Iowa Caucus.

This whole incident could have been avoided

You see, if the Carson campaign had just lied or refused to answer, as most in politics would have done there would be no confusion and no story. Apparently the ethics of the Carson campaign are in line with Dr. Carson.

In case you haven’t been following the presidential campaigns, Dr. Carson is in this race to fight against and change the status quo that is now considered by many as “politics as usual” or “Washington ethics.” It seems the truth confuses both the media and politicians. The fact that Dr. Carson continues to use this strange tactic is something they don’t know how to deal with or respond to. It also validates his oft repeated statement that he is not a politician and never plans to be one.

The entire Cruz-Carson Iowa Caucus story from Dr. Carson’s perspective is about right and wrong, also a troubling and often foreign subject for most in politics and news media.

It never was about him winning the Caucus if the Cruz campaign had not aggressively pushed their narrative about part of a CNN story. That aspect is what was hijacked by Donald Trump and distorted and then picked up by news media and pundits. They created this 25,000 vote straw man and attacked the straw man saying Dr. Carson would not have won if this had not been done and for that reason it doesn’t matter. He should just “man up” or “grow up” or “suck it up” and accept this as, again, “politics as usual.”

It never was about whether what the Cruz campaign did was legal or illegal.

If, as a leader, you condone unethical actions performed by those you lead that says something about your ethics and your leadership. Ted Cruz told Dr. Carson when they spoke he did not know about and did not agree with these kinds of actions. However, his decision, after that phone call, to defend his team’s actions indicate otherwise. Actions do speak louder than words. Apparently the ethics of the Cruz campaign are in line with Ted Cruz.

I cannot interpret this incident for you and would never presume to. For me it is clear and brings up another question. If he is willing to go this far to try to win the Iowa Caucus how far will he go when more, much more, is at stake? You will have to answer that one for yourself.

If Dr. Carson or his campaign by proxy had just chosen to act like a politician and lie when asked about his post Iowa plans then, in theory anyway, this story would not exist. They chose not to. That makes him stand out from all other choices you have in this presidential election.

You do have an alternative to politics as usual

If you want someone who is a politician and practices “politics as usual” then you have several to choose from.

If, on the other hand, you want someone to lead our country who is not a politician, with a lifetime of achievements outside of politics, whose integrity is the cornerstone of his life and his campaign, and has real solutions to the problems facing our country in (you can go to BenCarson.com and read them) then I believe you have only one choice – Dr. Ben Carson.

Until next time…

If you like what you read here or just want to see what comes out of my warped mind enter your email address in the sidebar on the left and subscribe. This is the only way to ensure you will be notified immediately whenever a new post is published.

Most of the pundits I watched during the Iowa Caucus Post Game shows were describing Ted Cruz as the “big winner” of the Iowa Caucus. clichés such as he had the best “ground game”, he completed the “full Grassley,”“hard work” pays off, and “retail politics” still works were repeated ad nauseam. They repeated it enough I was almost ready to believe it. Ted Cruz was my first choice before Dr. Ben Carson joined the race for President. After that he moved down to my second choice.

After hearing reports that his campaign was lying to Carson supporters in emails, on the phone, and in person during caucus meetings, telling them Ben Carson had suspended his campaign so they should vote for Ted Cruz, he is no longer my second choice. I don’t expect to need a second choice before our primary in Alabama on March 1st but if I did Ted Cruz would not be considered at all.

In case you are wondering, “What is he talking about?” here are a couple of articles reporting this instance of “politics as usual” or “political dirty tricks” depending on your perspective.

UPDATE: Since I originally published this post on February 2nd much more information has been released about these unethical, at best, actions by the Cruz Campaign. His “apology” confirms he condones this activity by his team, even if he was not directly involved in disseminating the information. He has made his choice and that confirms mine as I originally shared below. Here are new articles from Breitbart.com and CNN that shows the complete timeline of events. If you are interested they help tell the “rest of the story.”

Here is the tweet Iowa Representative Steve King, a major Cruz supporter, sent at 7:19 and 7:20 PM. If you watched his victory speech last night he is the one just over Ted’s right shoulder on the stage behind him.

Here are the tweets from CNN Reporter Chris Moody sent at 6:41 and 6:43 and 6:43, 37 minutes prior to the one Steve King sent above. He chose to ignore the second one sent at 6:43.

This may not matter to you because “everybody” does it. Even if that is true that doesn’t mean it is the right thing to do. There is still a right and wrong for some people.

Gossip Game

Have you ever played the rumor/gossip game where you whisper a message and pass it down? At best that is what happened here. At worst it was just a campaign lying to help win a primary election.

No perfect candidate but some are better than others

With me, integrity still does matter. I know there is no perfect candidate and holding out for one is pointless. However, I do want to believe I can trust the person I vote for to follow through with what they say they will do in their campaign. I know that can be futile and somewhat naïve as well but that is my goal for the candidate who gets my vote.

Dr. Ben Carson is someone I do trust to do what he says he will do because he has a long history of doing just that.

What difference does it make? Ben Carson was not going to win anyway?

Some will probably say what difference does it make? Dr. Carson does not have a chance to win the Republican nomination and would not have one the Iowa Caucus. The votes Cruz poached from him could have increased his numbers giving him more delegates and caused Cruz to lose or Marco Rubio to come in second. It could be a totally different election picture today.

Dr. Carson knew the political odds were against him when he entered this race and it would only happen if it was God’s will. He was and is perfectly happy to live with the outcome if he is not the nominee but only after he has given his best effort to earn the nomination and return control of government to We The People. He will emerge either way with his integrity intact. This experience has made him more resolved than ever to continue.

I cannot express it any better than Dr. Carson did himself on his Facebook page.

“For months, my campaign has survived the lies and dirty tricks from opponents who profess to detest the games of the political class, but in reality are masters at it. Even tonight, my opponents resorted to political tricks by tweeting, texting and telling precinct captains to announce that I had suspended my campaign – in some cases asking caucus goers to change their votes.

One of the reasons I got into this race was to stop these deceptive and destructive practices, and these reports have only further steeled my resolve to continue and fight for ‘We The People,’ and return control of the government back to them.”

If you know anything about Dr. Carson you know he has been told “It can’t be done” and “It’s never been done” and “It’s never been done that way” many times during his career and he has proven those statements wrong many times. As long as he is in the race he will have my support. I am tired of “politics as usual” too.

Disappointed in Ted Cruz

Before last night I thought Ted Cruz was the kind of candidate I could trust too. I now know better. I had been a Cruz fan. When he stood against Obamacare and called out Mitch McConnell for lying on the senate floor, I thought maybe this guy really is different. Now Ted Cruz is being called out for lying to Iowa Caucus supporters of Ben Carson. Instead of being an “outsider” as he would like people to believe, he is really no different than all the rest in this respect. Ted Cruz is now a full-fledged member of the establishment political class and part of the problem, not part of the solution. He can no longer legitimately be called an outsider. Any future primary wins he has will be covered with this cloud of doubt surrounding them. His campaign signs will now always have a “Mis” appended to them when I see them,

Big Winner? Not in my book

While he is busy celebrating and basking in the accolades of being the “big winner”, for me he has become the “big loser”. For me, and I suspect many others who share my perspective, he was really the big loser. Once integrity and credibility is lost it is very difficult to re-establish. He has lost my respect and any credibility for being an outsider and any different than other politicians. Maybe I am the only one late to this realization. I still believe that you can predict future actions based on what has happened in the past. This is now part of his past.

According to exit polls he did well with evangelicals. I am sure has read the words of Jesus in Matthew 16:26,

For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

And it appears he is going to try to find out by any means necessary.

Judge for yourself

You will be the judge if this matters to you at all or if you believe the apologies I am sure are forthcoming. I have made my judgement. The Cruz campaign knew exactly what they were doing. I am sure there will be some level of plausible deniability he and his campaign will claim saying “I didn’t do it” or “I didn’t know” or “It was just a mistake.” However his closest supporters and campaign team members did know. Steve King’s tweet was the match that lit the rumor fire. If he is not aware of what they are doing and doesn’t take responsibility for what they have done how is that any better than the current President or those wanting to be President from the other party? What kind of leader would he be?

Everyone has their own book. In my book Ted Cruz was the big loser in Iowa.

Until next time…

If you like what you read here or just want to see what comes out of my warped mind enter your email address in the sidebar on the left and subscribe. This is the only way to ensure you will be notified immediately whenever a new post is published.

The most common type of experience mentioned is political experience. “Experienced” politicians have brought us to where we are now in America. This statement is true however you assess the current state of our country. I think Ronald Reagan had it right in this quote,

“Professional politicians like to talk about experience in government. Nuts!

What kind of experience are you looking for in our next President?

So…what kind of experience are you looking for in our next President? That is a relevant question and one I cannot answer for you. All I can do is describe the kind of experience I think is important for the next President to bring into office. If this perspective helps you either make or confirm your own decision, this will have been a worthwhile use of time for me.

Experience I would like our next President to bring into office

Experience assessing situations as they arise.

Experience in being a continuous learner.

Experience in analyzing the situation to determine best and worst case solution scenarios.

Experience in asking for wisdom from God to make the best decision.

Experience in actually making a critical decision.

Experience leading the team executing the plan by setting expectations for and providing the resources and authority to complete it.

This makes experience in facing and resolving many types of situations critical to their success while in office. Being able to solve problems as they arise and not just kick them down the road for the next administration (political experience) is a critical skill needed for any successful president.

Dr. Ben Carson’s experience is unique among presidential candidates and meets all of the criteria mentioned above and will lend itself well to making the decisions that will need to be made as President of the United States of America to move our country forward and keep America safe.

Experience tested and honed in thousands of life and death situations

As a world renowned brain surgeon, Dr. Carson has performed thousands of surgeries. Each of these cases has been unique to that individual and family. Life and death risks and decisions are a regular part of brain surgery.

Each case is unique with patient history, options available, and outcomes expected.

Continuous medical education is required to determine the best methods of treatment or surgery available.

Input from trusted peers and experts is encouraged and considered.

Analysis to determine the best case / worst case scenarios and expected outcomes of performing or not performing the surgery.

Explaining these options and possible outcomes to the patient and family in terms they can understand and trust. Character, integrity and competence are essential in building this trust. These parents are trusting Dr. Carson and his Gifted Hands with the life of their child.

Recommending the best course of action and setting expectations for possible outcomes.

Seeking guidance from God through prayer for wisdom to make the best decision to move forward with the surgery or not.

Making the decision in a timely manner as time is of the essence. The patient’s life often depends on it.

Only then, is the actual surgery performed and this entire process is potentially repeated again during the surgery as the situation warrants.

Reporting the results of the surgery to the family of the patient along with follow-up expectations and course of action.

This process has been repeated thousands of times. That is valuable experience.

America is the patient

This type of experience will be invaluable as the leader of the country in assessing and addressing any issues that arise.

Each situation will be different with historical data, options available, input from advisers and new tactics and solutions considered and discussed in evaluating each case.

Continuous education is required to be cognizant of new tactics or solutions that might be available and applicable in this situation.

Analyzing this information to determine the best case and worst case scenarios and possible outcomes of any actions being considered.

Asking God through his own prayers and America through their prayers for wisdom to make the best decision to move forward with the prescribed course of action.

Making the decision in a timely manner as time is of the essence. America’s future depends on it.

Leading the team executing the plan by setting expectations and providing the necessary resources to execute the plan.

Reporting the results of the actions taken to the American people along with follow-up expectations and course of action.

I have a dream!

My dream is each eligible voter would realize the importance of the decision facing America in 2016 – voting for the next president – and would follow a similar process in evaluating the candidates and making their own decision. If my dream came true I am confident many of you will come to the same conclusion I have, the experience Dr. Ben Carson would bring to the Presidency – making thousands of critical life and death decisions over his career – is unique among all candidates and would be invaluable in keeping America safe and moving forward.

Dr. Ben Carson Gifted Hands Documentary

Take a look at this video – Dr. Ben Carson Gifted Hands Documentary – and see what you think in light of Dr. Ben Carson’s experience and his candidacy for President and make your own decision. After the bombast, glitter, noise, exaggerated claims and mudslinging of the other candidates has faded, a wise, calm, experienced decision-maker is the type of person I would want leading our country. Dr. Ben Carson is that type of person.

What kind of experience are you looking for?

Every voter will make their own decision and I would never presume to tell anyone who they should vote for. The person the American people select as President is elected to serve and to lead and make critical decisions. My hope is you will make critical decision making experience one of your criteria. Do your own research and don’t depend on the “news” media to make your decision for you. They have their own agenda.

Experience I am not looking for…

“I will confess I do not have experience in certain things like empowering special interest groups and growing the government and wasting taxpayer money and disarming our military and deserting our allies and lying to the people and submitting to the PC police.”Dr. Ben Carson

Voting is a privilege I do not take for granted and a solemn responsibility I do take seriously. It’s not brain surgery. I am no more a brain surgeon than Jethro from The Beverly Hillbillies. I hope all other non-brain surgeons out there, like me, take your responsibility seriously too.

Experience matters!

Until next time…

If you like what you read here or just want to see what comes out of my warped mind enter your email address in the sidebar on the left and subscribe. This is the only way to ensure you will be notified immediately whenever a new post is published.

With All Due Respect

Often in public discourse you will hear someone, more often than not a politician, say, “With all due respect” as a preface to statements that are often disrespectful.

What is your first thought when you hear “With all due respect”?

Mine is the subject of their comments is about to be disrespected. More specifically, my thoughts go back to Saturday Night Live in the late 1970’s, when it was still funny in my opinion. Dan Aykroyd and Jane Curtin did a Point/Counter Point segment during Weekend Update. Dan would often begin his reply to Jane with, “Jane, you ignorant slut” and Jane would often begin her response to Dan with, “Dan, you pompous ass.” I think this parody accurately reflects the meaning of this phrase more often than not in today’s contentious political climate. This was really pushing the envelope on TV back then.

Pay attention. You are likely to hear this phrase used often during the upcoming election year. Each one of us has to judge the intent of the speaker for ourselves.

Why So Serious?

Try this as you watch the presidential debates. You are watching the debates aren’t you? Substitute one of the phrases above when you hear “with all due respect.” It might just bring a smile to your face and make the experience more enjoyable. Political correctness has the effect of removing a sense of humor from too many discussions. I am not making light of serious issues that need to be discussed but if we can’t laugh at ourselves from time to time we are taking ourselves much too seriously.

Political Correctness has to go

I am proud to live in a country where we still can express our thoughts freely. However, too often political correctness is allowed to silence discussion of different opinions. If you don’t want to take my word for that, see what a liberal has to say about it in, The Silencing, by Kirsten Powerswhere she says,

“The illiberal left knows that delegitimization works. It’s their strongest weapon in a country with unparalleled free speech protections. If you can’t suppress views you don’t like with repressive laws, then delegitimize the people expressing them…delegitimization through demonizing and intimidation remains the illiberal left’s most effective tactic.”

If we disagree, let’s discuss it. Often the best idea is only discovered when opposing ideas are discussed. Let’s not let political correctness kill our First Amendment right of freedom of expression and any chance we have to arrive at that best decision.

Dr. Ben Carson also recognizes this issue and addressed it well in his closing remarks from the Republican presidential debate on 11/10/2015 when he said,

“There is something special about this nation and we must embrace it and be proud of it and never give it way for the sake of political correctness.”

To borrow from Jane Curtin’s Weekend Update closing remarks,

“Good night and have a pleasant tomorrow.”

Until next time…

If you like what you read here or just want to see what comes out of my warped mind enter your email address in the sidebar on the left and subscribe. This is the only way to ensure you will be notified immediately whenever a new post is published.